"Combine the relaxing sweetness of the harp with
the rhythmic piquancy of multi-cultural repertoire
and you have a memorable concert with
Victoria BC harpist, Alison Vardy"

Alison Vardy is an exceptionally creative performer on the Celtic & Paraguayan harps. Her delightful arrangements & compositions have enchanted many audiences in New Zealand, Australia, the USA & Canada. With her warm & engaging personality, Alison welcomes her listeners into the captivating world of multi-cultural solo harp music.

Alison's concerts are unique as they are mostly amplified albeit very subtly. She creates a rich, magical atmosphere that surrounds & envelops her audience to create a very special experience. Being the master musician she is, Alison plays the spaces between as well as the notes themselves which further draws her listeners into the spaces between their own thoughts. The experience is uniquely enchanting, vibrant, exhilarating and zen like all at the same time.

Alison's repertoire is constantly expanding as she explores the many voices of the harp. Initially Celtic, then Celtic and Latin and then music of the world translated and arranged for harp. Her current repertoire reflects her passion for multicultural music. She is now on an exploration of early Canadian tunes and early music in general.

Alison currently performs with two harps, a Celtic lever harp with a rich, warm resonance and a Paraguayan harp with a bright, vibrant tone. Listen to Alison’s performance with these harps by sampling from over two hours of her CD MP3 files.

|Victoria BC - Dec 2008 - Calliope Christmas Concert - at Saint Anne's Academy with Bryce Woolcombe (whistle, flute, sax). 

|Port Alberni BC - April 24-26, 2009 - Concert - Port Alberni Celtic Music Festival - Contact Alison for info.

|Port Alberni BC - July 1, 2009 - House Concert - Contact Alison for info.

|Victoria BC - July-Aug, 2009 - Calliope Concert - TBC - Central location - Patrick Smith (vocals, whistle, guitar, mandolin, hammered dulcimer) - Bryce Woolcombe (whistle, flute, sax) - Alison Vardy (harp) - Contact Alison for info.

|Vancouver Island BC - Aug 2009 - Ptarmigan Music & Theatre Society Series - Sponsored tour through Vancouver Island senior's residences

Alison is teaching a series of impromptu mini-workshops out on the Saanich Peninsula. Contact Alison for more info.

Alison will also be performing at many weddings, private and corporate events on Vancouver Island, Victoria, Tofino, Whistler and in the Lower Mainland during 2009.

|Harpsound Audio
|Sample Program
|Reviews
|Press Clippings
|Email List

"pure, ethereal sound"
Gulf Islands Driftwood

"Sensitive and Real"
"Interspersing her performance with bits of humour, Vardy tickles her audience. Charming and elfin-like something wonderfully medieval transits her presence."
Gabriola Sounder

"luscious round-the-world tour"
"Rearranging folk music from around the world, this highly skilled and whimsical woman pulls and twists exotic rhythms from the strings."
News Leader

"a complex embroidery of sound… runs, trills, triplets, glissandos with the confidence of a seasoned player ….Vardy is a master of the technique of the harp"
Island Tides

|2005/2004/2003 - On-Board Entertainer with BC Ferries
|Brentwood Bay BC - Concert - Brentwood Bay Folk
|Colwood BC - Concert - St. John the Baptist Church
|Comox BC - Filberg Festival
|Comox BC - L'Arche Benefit Concert at Comox United Church
|Cowichan Valley BC - Island Folk Festival
|Cordova Bay BC - Concert - St David's by the Sea Church
|Fanny Bay BC - Concert - Fanny Bay Community Association Hall
|Fort Langley BC - Concert - St. George’s Anglican Church
|Gabriola Island BC - Dancing Man Festival
|Hornby Island BC - Concert
|Hornby Island BC - Hornby Arts Festival
|Ladner BC - Concert at Ladner United Church
|Lantzville BC (Nanaimo) - Concert - St. Phillips Church
|Mayne Island BC - Concert - Agricultural Hall
|Nanaimo BC - Concert - Nanaimo Folk Connection Coffee House
|North Delta BC - Concert - Firehall Centre for the Arts
|North Vancouver BC - Concert at the North Shore Unitarian Church
|Pender Island BC - Concert - Pender Community Hall
|Port Alberni BC - Concert - First United Church
|Port Alberni BC - MusicFest
|Qualicum Beach BC - Concert - Old School House Arts Centre
|Saanichton BC - Concert at St. Mary's Church
|Saltspring Island BC - Concert - All Saints Church - Ganges
|Sechelt BC - BC Festival of the Written Arts
|Sidney BC - Christmas Writers Festival
|Squamish BC - Concert at the Newport Gallery
|Steveston BC - Concert with Steveston Folk Guild - www.stevestonfolk.org
|Tofino BC - Concert - The West Coast Winter Music Series
|Tsawwassen BC - Concert -Tsawwassen Arts Centre
|Vancouver BC - Concert - St James Community Square
|Victoria BC - BC Women of Distinction Awards 
|Victoria BC - Concert - Craigdarroch Castle
|Victoria BC - Concert - Victoria Folk Music Society
|Victoria BC - Dragonboat Festival - Inner Harbour Victoria Concert
|Victoria BC - Flower and Garden Show - Royal Roads University
|Victoria BC - Folkfest
|Victoria BC - Grand Opening of the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour
|Victoria BC - European Wine and Food Festival
|Victoria BC - Latin and Caribbean Festival
|Victoria BC - Lieutenant Governor's Order of BC Awards
|Victoria BC - Provincial Premier's Conference
|White Rock BC - Concert - White Rock United Church
|West Vancouver BC - Concert - Silk Purse Art Gallery

|Dunedin, New Zealand - Television New Zealand (TVNZ) Nature Productions
|Dunedin, New Zealand - Whare Flat Folk Festival
|Fort Flagler WA - Fort Flagler Harp Festival
|Canberra, Australia - First Australian Harp Festival
|Port Townsend WA - Fort Worden Folk Harp Festival
|HarpCon - International Folk Harp Conference, Olympia Wash.
|HarpCon 2003 - ISFHC Harp Conference in Bloomington, Indiana, USA
|Seattle WA - Northwest Folklife Festival
|South Island, New Zealand - Concert Tour